Mill housing



C. E. WENTZEL MILL HOUSING Feb. 9, 1932-;

Filed Feb. 11, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l attozncija F eb. 9,, 1932. c. E. WENTZEL MILL HOUSING 3 Sheets-Sh et 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1928 I Ill/rill Feb. 9, 1932. c. E. WENTZEL MILL HOUSING I s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 11, 1928 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 to move the cane.

unit-E STATES PATENT OFFICE CLIFFORD E. WENTZEL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR'TO. THE BAI-IMANIN IRON If WORKS COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, CORPORATION OF OHIO MILL HOUSING Application filed February 11, 1928. Serial No. 253,710.

. This invention relates to improvements in cane mills, and particularly to the end housing or journal frames of the mill for journalling the juice expressing rolls, usually three in number, an upper and two spaced lower rolls, the lower each cooperating with the upper roll.

The cane is initially fed between the upper and one of the lower rolls, thence passes between the upper roll and a stationary guide or turn plate disposed between the two lower rolls and thence between the upper and second lower roll.

The guide or turn plate bridges the gap between the lower rolls and sustains the material in passing from one set of rolls to the second. The cane in passing over'the turn olate heavil com aressed I roduces considerable friction and requires a greater amount of power to move. Mill designers have generally sought to reduce the spacing between the lower rolls without reduction of diameter of the roll shafts, for the narrower the turn plate correspondingly less power is required lVith the conventional mill housing construction, due to the tremendous pressure exerted between the rolls, for each end housing vertical bolts, tying the top journal cap, housing and bed plate, are employed to take up the vertical strains and these bolts govern the spacing of the lower rolls. The stresses to which the conventional vertical housing bolts are susceptible fix their diameters and these diameters, in connection with the diameters of the rolls and their respective shafts, fix the width of the turn plate.

Likewise, horizontal bolts 1 extending through the housing for sustaining the opposite end caps for the lower roll shafts are employed and these with the vertical posts make a network of cross bolts within the housing which add considerable to the cost and weight of the housing and complicates assembly. For large mills considerable headroom is required for inserting and removing the vertical bolts together with a pit space in the foundation for heading or anchoring the vertical bolts to the base of the housing.

To express the juice from the sugar cane,

great pressure is required and the greater the pressure on the cane the higher the extraction of the juice. Consequently, the greater the strain produced in all parts constituting the mill. Obviously, the higher the extrac tionthe greater the amount of sugar or sirup is obtained for a unit of cane.

I With the present invention, the housings are made throughout of steel plates welded together and of a structure which permits roll shaft diameter greatly in excess of what is now used and eliminates the use of large tension or tie bolts of the conventional mill housing, adapting the three rolls of the mill to be brought closer together so that a minimum width of guide or turn plate can be employed. The steel housing is smooth on all surfaces, so that there are no crevices or depressions where cane juice can lodge and become sour. v Many advantages result from the steel housing, as comprehending a material reduction in weight of the mill, effecting considerable saving in'freight charges and transporta- 'tion, loading and handling costs, and reduces the liability to injuries through rough treatment in shipping, and is more susceptible to repair if injured. Themill does not require a bed plate in mounting, and the housing ing, in detail, an end housing or journal frame thereof.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the end housing or journal frame.

Figure 3 is 'asectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure 1, detailing the mounting of the upper mill roll and also the mounting of one end of the turn plate. 1 j v Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44, Figure 1,,detailing the manner of securing the resistance blocks between the side plates of the journal frames and also detailmg the journalling of one of the lower mill rolls.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a Journal frame.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 5, detailing a lower mill roll journal and the resistance block containing the journal adjustment mechanism.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7, Figure 3, detailing the mounting of the turn plate.

Figure 8 is a view looking toward the inner face of an end housing and showing the housing frame fabricated welded structure stripped of all the journals and resistance blocks.

Figure 9 is a side view of a pair of end housings set up on a foundation in their mill journalling relation, the housings stripped of all the working mechanism to bring out the fabrication thereof.

Figure 10 is a sstoional view taken on line ill-10, Figure 1, detailing the manner in which the turn plate is secured in operative position within the mill.

The drawings disclose in detail only one complete housing for a mill for journalling one end of the roll shafts. A second housing for the opposite end of the shafts is of duplimite construction. The housings are independently mounted upon the foundation or bed plate and each is formed of a pair of steel plate side walls designated as side plates 1, 2, at definite spacing to accommodate for the capacity of journals necessary for a given weight and size of rollers and their shafts.

The side plates 1 and 2 are cut out to form openings 8--33, one for each of the roll shaft journals, adapting the journals and their shafts to be removed or inserted without disturbing the housings or unbolting the same from the foundation.

For the lower rolls, the bearing openings adapt the bearings and their roll shafts to be removed horizontally and for the upper roll vertically. Thus, for the lower rolls the housing side plates are cut out from their opposite end edges inwardly and for the top roll from their top edge centrally downwardly. The side plates at the cut-out portion for the lower roll journals are connected or joined together in their spaced relation by cross hearing plates 4-4 welded to the side plates. The bearing plates preferably extend or overlie slightly beyond the outer surface of both side plates to provide protruding opposite edges so that the parts can be Welded together by lines of fillet welding 6 along the opposite side edges of the bearing plates and lower base surface thereof, and preferably at the exterior sides of the side plates, facilitating the welding.

The cross bearing plates from seats or supports for adjustably sustaining the shaft bearing boxes,77, while for the upper roll a pair of oppositely disposed cross plates 8-8 are employed for guidingly sustaining the upper journal 9, the cross plates providing guideways for an upper journal block. The side plates at the journal for the upper roll are further provided with a semi-circular cross plate or segmental bushing 10 welded to the side plates in substantially the same manner as heretofore described for the plane cross plates. The segmental bushing sustains the lower journal or brass section for the bearing of the upper roll.

The journal blocks or boxes are adjustable to acconnnodate for feed openings and roll wear, with the mechanism for adjustment being the same as generally employed in the mills of this character, and as illustrated for the lower rolls comprises a horizontal screw 11 having its inner end abuttingly engaged with the journal box 7. The screw 11 has threaded engagement with a stationary nut 12 mounted and socketed in a resistance block 13 suitably secured between the side plates. The resistance or spacer blocks 13 each are held in place and fixed in position by taper pins 14 engaged through bushings 1515 in the side plates. The bushings each extend through a bore in its respective side plate and are welded thereto circumferentially by fillet welding.

A resistance block 13 is provided for each of the cut-out portions or journal openings of the housin and comprises a casting having a central body portion which receives the journal adjusting and abutment screws, gaps the journal opening, and is clamped to and between the side plates.

The resistance block at its opposite ends is provided with ear extensions 16-16 of the width of the spacing of the side plates or bushings welded in the side plate and adapted to be securely clamped thereto by the taper pins 14 extending through the side plates and ears. The taper pins 14 are counter-turned at one end and screw-threaded to receive a tightening nut 17 (see Figure 4) for drawing the pins within the bushings 15 welded in the side plates and within the ears of the resistance block, the nut having a bearing engagement with one of the bushings 15. The pins pass transversely through the side plates of the housings and, therefore, are in double shear and possess greater strength than a bolt of corresponding diameter placed in tension. The strength of a bolt in tension is measured by its diameter at the base of the thread, while a bolt or pin in shear by its body diameter, and with the side plates at the point of bolt reception being reinforced by bushin through which the bolts pass, and is capable of withstanding the most severe pressure, to which a mill of a given size may be subjected, without injury to the bolt and housing.

'Thejournal blocks or' boxes7 are of segmental form slidably mounted upon itsbearing plate and each is adjusted outwardly by means of the screw rod 18, having its head end engaged with the block and extending through a bore in the resistance block 13. A nut 19 is engaged upon its screw-threaded end, having a bearing against the resistance block. Upon rotating the nut after release of the abutment screw, the bearing block can be drawn outwardly. The journal block abutment screw 11 is held against rotation by a'lock collar 20 engaged upon the screwat the head end, pinned to the resistance block and locked to the screw 11 by a set screw 21 engaged through the collar and bearing against the abutment screw.

The journal block and the mechanism for adjusting the same may follow various types of construction and its detail of construction is optional insofar as it may concern the structure of the housing.

The side plates are further reinforced at their base by angle or brace plates 22 welded to the side plates andbase plate 23. The brace plates are preferably disposed at the outer sides'of the side plates and of a number and spacing apart as may be required for a given size of housing. In the present instance, three are illustrated for each of the side plates. The side plates centrally and vertically from the upper roll journal to the base are strengthen-ed as a unit by a beam stiffener 24 disposed between the side plates andwelded thereto, and preferably of I-form.

For the upper roll journal, the segmental bushing 10 extends across the side plates at the base of the journal opening and is welded to the side plates and, as in thecase of the horizontal bearing platesfor the lower roll journals, extends slightly beyond the outer sides of the side plates to facilitate in welding, and also for giving the same greater dimension. l

The inner face of the bushing is offaoeted configuration to receive a correspondingly configurated brass 26, adaptingthe same to be non-rotatably seated upon the bushing. The brass is provided with end flanges following a common practice for engaging over the ends of the bushing to sustain the brass against longitudinal or axial movement. The

segmental journal box or block 9 engaging the upper half-of the upper roll shaft is slidably mounted uponthe oppositely disposed vertical bearing plates 88 connecting with the side plates which are welded and secured to the side plates in substantially the same manner as the bearing plates for the lower roll journals. The journal block or box may represent any type of construction and be held in place under pressure by means of screw, hydraulic or spring devices. The form shown, however, is merely conventional, not forming a part of the present invention.

strength. Due to unseen defects in rough r The side plates are further oined together .attheir base by the horizontal base plate 23. The .base plate extends; a suitable distance beyond the side plates to provide a definite marginal flange for bolting .the housing to the foundation structure.

. Each housing, as a unit, is composed of a pair of side plates spaced apart and joined by a base plate, a central vertical stiffener beam between the side plates, and journal bearing supportingcross plates, all welded to the side plates together with the resistance blocks located between the side plates as journal abutments clamped. between the side plates by taper pins. The housing, there fore, mainly comprises a structure fabricated from steel plates with the parts welded together into a veryrigid unit capable of standing excessive strains and pressures, and considerably lighter in weight. than the conventional cast housing, and also offers a material reduction in cost of manufacture and machining. v y

In fact, only a minimumamount of machiningis required. Any of the parts may be machined as required before they are assembled into a housing and welded together. This facilitates machine operations because of handling only comparatively-small pieces, and thus,-as large machine tools are not required to machine the housing as where the housing is cast in one piece.

Rolled steel housing eliminates the large horizontal and vertical bolts. On a large size 4 m6 inches diameter and of considerable length. Whenerecting, repairing and dismantling the mill, these bolts pass through cored holes in the housing and it is necessary to have considerable space beyond the mill to accomplish this. The vertical housing bolts in a cast housing mill, pass through the housing, bed plate and. down through a very heavy washer and to accomplish this the foundation is cut out. j This not only weakensthe foundation, but offers less surface for the load of the mill. These depressions are objectionable because they offer lodging places for juice to become sour. I With the rolledsteel housing the foundation would be level on top. Rolled steel is more uniform in structure than castings, consequently more uniform in castings beforemachining there is usually considerable loss in labor'when machining castings, because defects generally show up after the casting is being machined.

Large castings, such as used on a cane mill require many cores and'iftheseare not properly; located, thecasting cannot be used. Withrolled steel any alterationor addition is readily made. Thecost of -makingpatterns, cost of pattern storage, including rent, insurance, interest and taxes, cost of carrymill with cast housings these bolts range from i ing obsolete patterns, is all eliminated, as well as patterns that are used only once. Also a smaller manufacturing space is required.

There are a large range of sizes required by cane mill manufacturers. For each size it is necessary to have, (with cast housings) a pattern with its numerous core boxes for each size. The diameter of the rollers determine the size and these diameters range from 8 inches to 34 inches with intermediate diameter every two inches. There are a nmnber of styles, light, medium and heavy mills, each style also requires a different pattern, because the roll shaft diameters vary. It is often required to change the diameters of the roll shafts, according to a customers specifications. This usually necessitates altering the housing pattern and occasionally nequines a new pattern, which may only be used for this particular order. With the plate steel mill it is only necessary to arrange the steel parts comprising the housmg to suit the conditions such as shafts and roll diameter and weld the parts together.

W'hile reference has been principally made to housing for cane mills, it is apprehended that they may be included for other types of machinery.

The turn plate, which is disposed beneath the upper roll, is mounted to and between the housings. The inner side plate of each housing is provided with a bracket or wedge container of dove-tailed formation presenting a plate base 29 welded to the side plate and rovided with a pair of oppositely dispose taper lugs 3030 extending therefrom. Each lug provides an inclined support for a wedge 31 adjustably secured to the lug by means of a screw 32. A sectional trunnion journal block 33 is slidably carried by the wedge for supporting a trunnion 34 extending from one end of the turn plate 35. The base 29 of the bracket is centrally slotted to provide for additional welding surface intermediate of the base for welding the base to the side plate.

Trunnions are provided, one for each end of the turn plate, preferably clamped to the body or beam portion thereof to render the trunnion removable for convenience in renewing in the event of breakage or wear.

The drawings merely illustrate one end portion of the turn plate, the opposite end being of duplicate construction. It prefer ably comprises a beam body portion built up of a steel plate having bars welded to the longitudinal opposite ends with the plate disposed in a vertical plane in its position within the machine or mill. The upper bar edge 36 longitudinally is provided with a trunnion 37 for engagement into a longitudinal groove in the base surface of a head bar 38. The head bar provides the bridge or guide surface beneath the upper roll over which the material passes as it is being transmitted by the rolls from one set to a second. The head bar is removably secured to the beam body by tie bolts 39 disposed at relatively opposite sides of the beam, engaged through the end bars of the beam and screw-threaded into the head bar. The turn plate or beam is clamped in position at its lower end by an suitable means for sustaining the same rigidly in position and capable of being angularly adjusted for swinging the same within the bearings of the trunnions, the clamping means as illustrated comprising a U-bolt 40 straddling a pintle 41 welded to and projecting from the base of the beam, the pintle resting in a shackle 42 bolted to the housing foundation with the U-bolt connecting with the shackle.

The housings are mounted directly upon the foundation and rest upon cross beams 43 of channel form imbedded in the foundation, the top flange of the beams projecting slightly beyond the top of the foundation and levelled up to receive the housing. The channel beams are tied together by bolts 44 each engaged through a spreader tube 45 having end engagement with the beams which are likewise imbedded in the foundation. The housings are secured in place upon the channel beams by bolts 46 anchored in the foundation and engaged through the base plate of the housin Having described my invention, I claim:

A housing or journal frame for cane mills and the like machinery, comprising, a pair of steel side plates in spaced parallel relation, the plates correspondingly having cutouts, each cutout extending from an edge of the plate inwardly providing an opening for the reception of a journal, cross plates welded to and bridging the side plates respectively at the cut-out bearing openings, each forming a platform for a journal, journal resistance and abutment blocks, one for each bearing opening dis osed between the side plates and gapping the opening, and tapered clamp pins engaged through said blocks and through bushings welded to the side plates for clamping and binding the blocks and side plates, and a base plate welded to the lower horizontal edges of said side plates.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name.

CLIFFORD E. WENTZEL. 

